Nokhaya Dlamini
- 30+ years in mental health services
- Founder of Tell Somebody
- Author of Outshine the Darkness, writing as Melony Axe
Nokhaya Dlamini is a UK-based mental health professional with more than thirty years of experience supporting children, families and adults within community and clinical mental health services. She has spent her career focused on safeguarding and early intervention, and on understanding how trauma, silence and stigma affect emotional wellbeing across generations.
Her personal journey is one of survival, resilience and faith. Having endured childhood abuse that was dismissed when she sought help, she later faced the heartbreak of seeing her own daughter struggle with trauma. These experiences deepened her commitment to changing how society listens to and supports survivors.
From survival to Tell Somebody
Nokhaya is currently developing Tell Somebody, a trauma-informed education programme that aims to help children and young people recognise unsafe situations, speak to trusted adults and seek help early. Rooted in compassion and lived experience, it bridges the gap between mental health and safeguarding education.
Her memoir, Outshine the Darkness — published under her pen name, Melony Axe, the name on all her Tell Somebody books — shares her true story of pain transformed into purpose. Through her writing and public speaking, she encourages professionals, parents and communities to act early, listen without judgement and believe that healing is always possible.
£13.99
Read her story“Every child deserves to be believed, every teacher deserves the tools to listen, and every survivor deserves to heal.”
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Help fund books, training and workshops that give children a voice.